Peacock and Apple TV strike US bundling deal, agree to some content swapping

Peacock users can watch three episodes of Apple TV original Foundation

US giants Comcast and Apple have struck a deal to bundle their streaming platforms, Peacock and Apple TV, in the US for US$14.99 a month, making them the latest streamers to agree to share content.

The bundle, which represents a 30% discount on the full monthly subscription fees for the services, will become available on October 20. In addition, the companies also signed an agreement that will make some episodes of Apple TV originals available on Peacock and vice-versa.

The move will mean Peacock users can watch up to three episodes of Apple TV originals Stick, Slow Horses, Silo, The Buccaneers, Foundation, Palm Royale and Prehistoric Planet for free, while users of Apple TV can watch three episodes of Peacock series Law & Order, Bel-Air, Twisted Metal, Love Island Games, Happy’s Place, The Hunting Party and Real Housewives of Miami.

The bundle brings together two of the smaller streamers in the US market, in terms of subscriber numbers.

While Apple TV (which rebranded from Apple TV+ this week) does not disclose its domestic or global subscriber numbers, estimates suggest it is in the vicinity of around 45 million. Meanwhile, Peacock has remained at around 41 million domestic subscribers for the past couple of quarters, while its losses decreased to around US$101m in the most recent quarter.

“There is no more perfect combination of entertainment than the Apple TV and Peacock bundle, with our complementary content portfolios featuring the best shows, movies, sports and live events,” said Matt Strauss, chairman of Comcast-owned NBCUniversal Media Group.

“With this first-of-its-kind initiative with Apple, we’re redefining what the customer journey should be for a streaming bundle with rich sampling and a smooth sign-up process, and we’re broadening the reach of Peacock to even more audiences.”

The move comes soon after other streamers agreed to share content with erstwhile rivals, such as Disney+ and ITVX in the UK; Channel 4 and UKTV; France Télévisions and Prime Video; and TF1 and Netflix.